I want to move to Flensburg from Denmark and it’s really hard to find an apartment. My friend is moving out of this one and told her landlord about me. I sent the requested information and I get this email a a response.
My question is, is it legal do demand 6 months rent in advance?
by Actual-Monk7067
30 comments
Legal? Maybe.
Should you do it? Uhhh… Probably not.
Looks like a scam, tbh.
This sets off all my scam alarm bells. Never pay upfront for more than one month.
No that’s not legal. Rent payments can’t be demanded up-front and you also have a right to pay the deposit in installments
Ask her if you get the apartment in advance too.
sounds like a cashgrab, because the person/makler has leverage. i’ve heard of 1-3 months rent in advance-pay ontop of the 3 months of collateral, but not in this way. wouldnt do it, except you dont care about money too much and would spend that amount nevertheless
Just don’t answer the email. It is probably a scam. Paying upfront for a longtime rent is extremely unusual in Germany.
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Definitely a scam!!! Never pay in advance if you don’t already have a signed contract!
See him in person, house and papers. Make a legit contract and don’t pay in advance that kind of money to people. That is a scam or a person who don’t want to rent his property
This screams scam. Not convinced it’s legal either
do not do it! Payment in advance? Your money is already gone.
Ask in r/Denmark as it is a question about Denmark. In Germany this is highly unusual, but I don’t think it’s illegal.
Edit: sorry, I misread the description.
What does your friend say about their contract? Was it the same for them? Is the landlord trustworthy?
To all the haters: Sometimes it is just a mistake, not being impolite. So stop being unfriendly without a reason.
If this is your friend then did they have the same experience? All of this is weird if your friend is real friend and set you with a scammer.
100% scam
Obvious scam, please report this “business” to the police immediately
I’ll guess, it’s scam. Rents are paid monthly, not for sex months in advance. HIGHLY unusual.
sounds like a scam, who wants 6 months of rent in advance, do not do it.
Moooost likely a scam. You do have to make a down-payment as security but that’s about it.
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You have to be really desparate to pay a scammer that much money in advance.
Sadly, there are people falling for this.
Looks so weird. Are you sure this is your friend’s landlord? The whole wording is weird. rent is paid monthly – 6 months in advance does absolutely make no sense. This screams SCAM
Thank you all. I forgot to add that I already declined the offer. I was just really surprised that they would ask that kind of money 😅 I’m in contact with the current tenant (my friend) and the previous tenant and they’re just as surprised as me. They’ve had no trouble with the landlord at all.
Nah man this sounds illegal. Usually you only pay the “Kaution” in advance and nothin else. Kaution is normally around 3 times the monthly rent. You get that money back when you move out (as long as you didnt’t damage anything that needs to be repaired).
That’s not legal, also never pay anything until you’re inside the apartment, with a sign contract and keys in hand (test all the keys to check if they are the actual keys). Also would recommend being part of a Mieteverein or similar services.
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Scam alert 🚨
Ooof! 780€ is common in Munich near the city center. I didn’t know it could be that high anywhere else in Germany.
Plus, dude is asking for 6k Euros up front! Even if you paid, what will you do if something unforeseen happens? If you have that much money, better take a temporary Airbnb till you find something better.
TIL it’s tough to find a place in Flensburg.
It’s a scam is what it is.
As a renter, it is legal as long as you accept the terms. If I were you, I would not accept this “contract”… As many have said, yes, it seems like a scam. The renter also could have had some terrible rental experiences in the past and are trying to cover their ass. You said you had a friend who dealt directly with this person so it seems this is more likely what is happening. If it is a highly sought after rental this could easily be accepted by a wealthy tenant who would be willing to accept the terms but if you aren’t 100 percent committed and do not have that kind of money to give to a stranger, then deny the offer or counter with your own terms. If it is a legit contract offer and you have any hesitation then look elsewhere.